Electric razor and blade therefor



Sept. 24, 1935. s. SHALER ELECTRIC RAZOR AND BLADE THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 1932 "mar-Me S. SHALER Sept. 24, 1935.

ELECTRIC RAZOR AND BLADE THEREFOR Filed Nov. 22, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Jan! Sfialer Sept. 24, 1935. 5 SHALER 2,015,166

ELECTRIC RAZOR AND BLADE THEREFOR Filed Nov. 22, 1932 3 SheetsSheet 3 F "W 1 Z 40 39 F/ JD.

awe/whom JazdJ/Ealer Patented Sept. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC RAZOR AND BLADE THEREFOR Application November 22, 1932, Serial No. 643,912 In Great Britain June 6, 1933 26 Claims.

The invention resides primarily in an electric razor and blade therefor characterized by a novel combination of a few simplified parts which are fashioned and assembled in a manner to enable the razor to be produced under low cost manufacturing conditions without sacrificing efficiency and other requisites of a product of this type.

Otherwise stated the primary novelty of the invention is to simplify the construction of electrically operated vibratory safety razors to thereby not only reduce the production costs but to also improve the product.

While the foregoing explains briefly the nature of the invention its many advantages will be better appreciated upon a full understanding of the construction, operation and manner of combining the parts of the razor. For this purpose one form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a razor embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing the relative co-operative relationship of the parts and particularly showing the mode of assembling the razor;

Fig. 3 is longitudinal section through the razor;

Fig. 4 is top plan view of the blade holder with the blade thereon but with the guard cap removed;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the underside of the guard cap;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line I-'I of Fig. 3;

Figs. 8 and 9 are sections on the lines 8-8 and 99 respectively of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a detail View in longitudinal section of a modified form of core for the coil;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line II-II of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a detail view partly in section showing a, separate or detachable knob for the lower end of the handle, and

Fig. 13 is a detail view of the anchoring disc for the plug-in cord.

Referring now to the drawings in detail 5 represents a handle which is preferably fabricated from fibrous insulating material and fashioned to serve as a shell like member. The outer surface of the handle is corrugated or otherwise treated to provide a suitable hand grip. As shown in Figs. 1-3 the lower end of the handle may be closed by forming the handle with an integrally formed knob or else as shown in Fig. 12 a separately formed knob 6 may be threaded as at 'I to the end of the handle.

Housed within the handle 5 is a hollow solenoid coil 8 having a core 9. The core 9 carries a crown like ferrule III of non-ferrous metal which is fixed to the core by an extension pin II on the end of the core passing into the hollow of the ferrule III and having a headed end I2. In the 5 preferred form of the assembly and as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7, this head I2 lies flush against the inside wall of the ferrule and to make the fit perfectly tight it is curved to correspond to the curvature of the ferrule. The face of the core 10 head which is presented to the armature (to be later described) is fiat. In the modified form of this detail as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 the pin II is terminated as at I2 in the base of the ferrule III. 15.

The crown like ferrule III fits into the hollowof the coil and overlaps the end of the coil with a depending apron like sleeve extending down the outside of the coil. A suitable insulating washer I0 is inserted under the ferrule to space and insulate the same from the top of the coil. This construction of the ferrule provides a complete water or moisture tight crown for the coil end. A crimp I3 on the depending skirt of the ferrule serves as an abutment for the handle 5 on one side and the detachable cap I4 on the opposite side.

This cap I4 is made with a restricted tubular neck I5 providing a seat as at I6 for a split ring I! suspended from the lower end of the armature 30 spring I8. The ring II is held to this seat by ring I9 which is forced into the split ring I'I wedging it against the neck of the cap and with the offset flange 20 on the ring impinging against the shoulder of the seat I6. 35

The cap I4 snugly fits the outside of the ferrule and makes a bayonet-joint connection therewith as at I4 so that it may be readily removed when occasion demands.

The armature 2| comprises a pendulum like member having an enlargement 22 on its lower end. This enlargement is fashioned with a flat face which terminates in magnetically responsive relation to the head I2 of the core within the hollow of the ferrule and the back of the enlargement is equipped with a rubber covering 23 so that in the event its vibrating range should cause it to contact with the side of the ferrule the noise will be eliminated by the rubber. The armature is suspended substantially as a pendulum by means of the armature spring I8 previously mentioned. This spring is made with a collar 24 which is sprung over a ring on a reduced diameter on the armature so as to suspend the armature under the influence of the spring.

This connection requires no set screws or other special holding means. In the modified form of the core as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 the end of the armature terminates just above the core end l2 and not in overlapping confronting relation as in the preferred form. Either of these forms will serve to advantage although for all practical purposes the preferred form shown in Fig. 3 is desirable.

represents a plate like blade holder which is fashioned with a depending split guard 26 along the cutting edge of the blade. The central portion of the blade holder is made with a pressed counter sunk depression and has an elongated opening 28 to receive the tip 29 of the armature. The blade 30 also has a registering opening 3| to admit the armature tip.

The blade holder 25 is a plate like member oblong in shape and the same is secured to the neck 15 of the cap M by opposed ears 32 on the neck which are admitted in corresponding openings 33 in the counter sink in the holder. The ears 32 after being inserted in these openings are pressed down to form a permanent connection.

34 represents a guard cap which is fashioned with spring clips 35 on its underside to engage the underside of the blade holder to removably hold the same on the holder. For convenience in removing the guard cap it is made with offset and downwardly depending finger pieces 36 at opposite ends. Referring further to the blade holder, the same is made with upstanding end flanges 31 which are undercut as at 38 to provide slots for the reception of the blade 30. The blade is made with half round openings 39 in its thickness to admit the upstanding flanges 31 on the blade holder so that the blade may be inserted in the slots 38 and properly positioned on the holder. When properly positioned the tip of the armature protruding through the opening 28 in the blade holder will engage in the opening 3| in the blade. Formed on the surface of the blade holder on the inside of the ears 3'! are elevations 40 which occupy part of the openings 39 in the blade.

The blade is also constructed with tabs 4! at each end which are offset with respect to the cutting edge and protrude beyond the plane of the upstanding flanges 31. These tabs 4| on the blade have a distinct advantage when the blades are being handled in that they enable the user to grip the blade at its ends and insert it in place on the blade holder with the utmost convenience. Since the tabs project beyond the vplane of the blade holder they offer a very convenient way of removing the blade from the holder. When the guard cap 34 is in place the tabs 4| on the blades seat under the offset finger pieces 36 on the guard cap and are exposed only when the guard cap is removed. The guard cap 34 holds the blade on the blade holder without interfering with its freedom of vibrating movement.

The tip of the armature which engages the .blade is the only part of the assembly which offers the possibility of wearing. To increase the life of the'operating tip a glass hard steel sleeve is preferably forced onto its operating. tip. When applying the guard cap 34 it will be understood that it rides over the cam surfaces on the top of the upstanding flanges 31 and this action is permitted under the influence of the spring clips 35 so that the guard cap is held firmly in place and can only be removed by the deliberate tact of the user in slipping the same off for the purpose of removing the blade. These cam surfaces also serve to cause the guard cap to clear the oscillating tip of the armature so as not to interfere with the same in any respect. The curvature of the guard cap also serves to provide this clearance.

The connection for the cord 4| with the coil 8 is provided for in the following manner. Either the detachable knob 6 or'the integral enclosure on the end of the handle is made with openings 'for the cord and the ends of the cord after being passed through openings in the anchoring disc 42, as shown in Fig. 13, are made fast to the contact plates 43 on the underside of the fibre disc 44. These contactsextend through the disc 44 in spaced relation to a companion disc 45. The disc 45 supports the end of the coil 8 and the lead wires from the coil pass through openings in the disc 45 and in the disc 44. The openings in these two discs are offset with respect to each other so that by turning the disc 44 either clockwise or anti-clockwise, the lead wires of the coil will be caused to bridge the contacts 46 on top of the disc 44 thus making not only a connection with the contacts 43 to which the cord wires are attached, but the lead wires of the coil will be thus anchored without necessitating any particular binding post. 7 bly is best illustrated in Fig. 2 and in Figs. 8 and 9.

The disc 45 which supports the coil is made with an opening to receive the reduced diameter on the core of the coil and the disc 44 is like-' A spacing collar 41 is then inserted behind the disc 44 followed by wise inserted on the core.

the anchoring disc 42. The anchoring disc 42 is held on the core by a button 48 which in turn" is anchored in place by an eyelet 49 which is spun' scription. As clearly shown in Fig. 2 each part 45 is so constructed that it may be fitted in place without exercising any particular skill on the part of the operator. For this reason unskilled labor may be employed throughout the entire assembly This possi operation. By this means the cost of produc- 50 with the same frequency as that of the alternat-' ing current on which the razor is to be used. The

vibrations of the spring will be in resonance with the magnetic pulsations in the core. As arranged, comparatively weak magnetic impulses will build up a strong vibration in the spring as a result of this resonance. By this means it is possible to obtain a strong effect with a weak coil that has a small current consumption. A small diameter coil can thus be used and as a result only a small handle is required for the razor.

While in most cases it will be desirable to em- 2 bed. the ferrule in the hollow of the coil this is not an absolute necessity because with a very strong coil carrying a heavy current sufiicient power can be obtained so that it will be possible to extend the core of the coil above the top thereof and realize the desired results.

As another alternative it will not be necessary to make the armature in one piece. It will be entirely possible to fashion the armature in two or more pieces and still suspend the same pendulum like under the influence of the spring.

In this connection special attention is called to the fact that the core of the coil and the adjacent end of the armature are positioned well down in the hollow of the coil. Otherwise stated, the vibratory movement of the armature is developed within the magnetic field of the coil which has been found in practice to give a more determined and positive action than is possible when the contact is made on top of the coil. In other words in a solenoid coil the magnetic pull of the field is more effective intermediate the ends thereof than at either end. This accounts for positioning the armature and core ends in the manner substantially as described. This detail and the novel way of accomplishing the same to make a closed end for the coil is one of the outstanding features of the invention. It should also be pointed out that the hollow of the ferrule is unusually accessible by the simple act of removing the cap. Should water or other foreign matter collect in the hollow of the ferrule, or for that matter, in the hollow of the cap, the cap is removed and all such parts may be easily cleaned.

It is not expected that replacement of parts will offer a problem, but should it be necessary to replace an armature unit as an example; it will be a very simple matter to remove the cap, take out the armature unit, and slip another one in its place. This possibility is mentioned only to emphasize the accessibility of the working parts and the simple manner in which they are assembled.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the construction and operation of the blade. To begin with the raised elevations 40 on the surface of the blade holder have no function in guiding the blade. They are formed primarily for the purpose of strengthening the plate and preventing distortion of the same. The blade is guided by the straight edges 39', of the half round openings 39, wiping against the outer faces of the upstanding flanges 31 (see Fig. 4).

This co-operative relationship between the blade and holder not only offers distinct novel operating advantages, but is also an outstanding development in the production of the blades.

In manufacturing the blades it is more economical, and a superior blade is produced when all major operations are performed when the blank is in strip form; that is to say the blade blank should be punched, hardened, cleaned, etched and ground and honed before the individual blades are severed. The dividing line between each blade should be also scored during the punching operation. With the blank thus prepared the final operation is to break the individual blades apart at the scored division line and the blades are then ready for packing.

Now if the ends of the blade were depended upon as a straight edge to wipe against a guide on the holder it would be necessary to finish the ends for the sake of an accurate guide. This would entail an additional operation. As it is the straight edges 39' on the half openings 39 which are punched out serve as the guide. A punch and die operation set for a predetermined distance will always punch the same distance accurately. As a result the distance between the straight edges 39' on all blades will be the same 5 and will not require any finishing operations to correct inaccuracies in the feed of the strip. Any such inaccuracies will be lost or taken up by the width of the tabs 4|.

The vibratory movement of the blade in this razor is transverse to the cutting edge thereof.

From the above it will be seen that a razor made in accordance with the present invention offers not only a very attractive manufacturing proposition but one that will give the user no trouble. This is the result of the elimination of delicate operating parts such as pins, screws, bearings, journals and shafts. Elimination of these parts safeguards break-downs and in addigtion makes the product cost less to produce. FurT- 2O thermore in view of the water tight crown produced by the ferrule the user does not have to pay special attention to keeping water out of this part of the device. The removable cap which carries the head of the razor makes the parts easily cleaned.

The vibrating motion of the head of the pendulum supported armature is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the coil. This is an advantage because the gap between the core head and the end of the armature does not require a critical adjustment. It can vary between comparatively large limits. Hence it is more economical to manufacture and will not require adjustments or repairs.

The tabs on the blade enable the blade to be conveniently handled and manufactured from a blank strip with accuracy and with the blade capable of smooth operation.

As a whole, the razor is light in weight, comparatively smallmaking it not only attractive in appearance but convenient to use.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore do not wish to be restricted to the precise construction contained herein.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of this invention, what I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A razor comprising a handle, a blade holder, and means for vibrating a blade held by the blade holder, comprising an electro-magnetic coil, a ferrule on the handle enclosing the coil within the handle, a core for said coil extending into the ferrule, a cap for said ferrule carrying said blade holder and a spring influenced armature carried by the cap extending into the ferrule and terminating in magnetically responsive relation to the core of the coil.

2. A razor comprising a handle, a blade holder, and means for vibrating a blade held by the blade holder, comprising a hollow electro-magnetic coil, a ferrule on the handle depending within the hollow of the coil and enclosing the coil within the handle, a core for said coil extending into the ferrule and terminating within the magnetic field of the coil between the coil ends, and an 7 armature terminating in magnetically responsive relation to the core of the coil.

3. A razor comprising a handle, a blade holder, and means for vibrating a blade held by the blade holder, comprising a hollow electro-magnetic coil,

a ferrule on the handle depending within the hollow of the coil and enclosing the coil within the handle, a core for said coil extending into the ferrule off-center and extending up the side wall of the ferrule flush therewith, a cap for the ferrule carrying said blade holder and a spring influenced armature carried by the cap having one end for engaging a blade carried by the blade holder and its opposite end extending into the ferrule and terminating in confronting overlapping relation to the end of said core.

- 4. A razor comprising a handle, an electromagnetic coil in said handle, a ferrule enclosing the coil within the handle, said coil having a core extending into the ferrule, a cap engaging the ferrule, a blade holder carried by the cap and a spring influenced armature carried by the cap and positioned thereby in magnetically responsive which the end of the core enters the ferrule offcenter and extends flush up the inside Wall of the ferrule and in which the end of the armature terminates in confronting overlapping relation to said core end.

7. In a vibratory razor, the combination of a blade and holder therefor, comprising a plate like member having upstanding flanges fashioned with under-cut slots in the back thereof flush with the surface of the plate like member, a blade having openings formed adjacent its ends to admit said end flanges; whereby the blade may be inserted in the under-cut slots in the flanges, said plate like member having an opening inter mediate its end flanges to admit a vibrating armature and said blade having a registering opening to engage said armature.

8. A vibratory razor, comprising a blade holder, an electromagnet, an armature adapted to engage a blade held by the blade holder for vibrating the blade transversely to its cutting edge,

guides for the blade located at opposite ends of the blade holder adapted to confine the blade against longitudinal movement on the blade holder while permitting it freedom of a limited transverse movement in response to the vibrating movement of the armature, a blade fashioned with tabs at opposite ends projecting beyond the ends of the blade holder, and a guard cap carried by the blade holder and provided with outwardly offset finger pieces overlying the projecting tabs on the blade.

9. A vibratory razor, comprising a handle, a magnetic coil in the handle, a cap carried by the handle a spring suspended pendulum like armature carried by the cap, a blade holder on the end of the cap, upstanding blade guiding flanges on the blade holder having under-cut slots at the back thereof, a blade having end tabs adapted to overreach the end of the blade "holder and openings to admit said flanges when the blade is inserted in the slots in the flanges, said flanges having cam edges at the top thereof, a guard cap having spring clips for engaging the underside of the blade holder and adapted to ride said cam edges when being applied to the ends of the guard cap for enclosingthe end tabs on the blade.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 9, in which the coil is sealed within the handle by 5 a ferrule like crown fixed to the core of the coil and in which the end of the armature terminates adjacent the end of the core. a

11. A vibratory razor, comprising a handle, a coil enclosed within the handle, a core for said m coil, a detachable cap for the handle, a restricted throat on said cap, a blade holder carried by the cap, an armature having one end extending into the blade holder with its opposite end terminating in magnetically responsive relation to the core of the coil and a spring suspension for the armature seated in the restricted throat of the cap.

12. A vibratory razor, comprising a handle, a coil enclosed within'the handle, a core for said coil, a detachable cap for the handle, a restricted throat on said cap, a blade holder carried by the cap, an armature having one end extending into the blade holder with its opposite end terminating in magnetically responsive relation to the core of the coil and a spring suspension for the armature seated in the restricted throat of the cap, and comprising a split ring adapted to be seated in the restriction of the throat and a leaf spring on said ring connected to the ar- 1 mature; whereby the armature is suspended for pendulum like vibrating movement transversely to the axis of the coil. I

13. A vibratory razor, comprising a handle, a coil within the handle, a core for said coil, a blade holder, an armature for vibrating a blade carried by the blade holder, a plug-in cord entering the handle through the end thereof, and means for connecting said cord to the coil within the handle, comprising an anchoring disc carried 0 l by the core of the coil, a contact carrying Washer on the core spaced from said anchoring disc, contacts on said contact carrying washer to which the cord ends are connected and means connecting the lead wires of the coil with said contacts.

14. A vibratory razor, comprising a handle, a coil within the handle, a core for said coil, a blade holder, an armature for vibrating a blade carried by the blade holder, a plug-in cord eni tering the handle through the end thereof, and means for connecting said cord to the coil within the handle, comprising an anchoring disc carried by the core of the coil, a contact carrying washer on the core spaced from said anchoring disc, contacts on said contact carrying washer to which the cord ends are connected and means connecting the lead wires of the coil with said contacts, comprising a second washer carried by the core having openings through which the coil 6 wires pass, said contact carrying washer also having openings to admit the coil wires and adapted to be rotated relative to the second named washer to bend the coil wires across the contacts thereof.

by a button riveted to the end of the core. T

16. A vibratory razor, comprising a handle unit' and a detachable head unit, said handle unit em-' bodying in its assembly an enclosed magnetic coil and a core for the coil said head unit embodying in its assembly a spring influenced'stem-like-75 armature suspended in the head unit for lateral oscillations.

7. A vibratory razor, comprising a handle unit and a detachable head unit, said handle unit embodying in its assembly an enclosed magnetic coil and said head unit embodying in its assembly a spring influenced and pendulum suspended armature having one end adapted to occupy a position adjacent the core of the coil within the magnetic field of the coil and its opposite end adapted to engage a blade, carried by the head unit and mounted for vibratory movement transverse to the cutting edge of the blade.

18. A vibratory razor comprising a handle unit and a detachable head unit, said handle unit embodying in its assembly a magnetic coil, a core for said coil, a ferrule like crown carried by the core for enclosing the coil within the handle, and said head unit embodying in its assembly a cap for said ferrule like crown, and a spring influenced and pendulum suspended armature having one end adapted to occupy a position adjacent the core of the coil within the magnetic field of the coil when the cap is applied to the crown, and its opposite end adapted to engage a blade carried by a blade holder at the end of the head unit.

19. A vibratory razor comprising a handle unit and a head unit, a magnetic coil carried by the handle unit, a skirted crown sealing the coil in said handle unit, a core for said coil, said head unit detachably engaging said crown and an armature carried by said head unit.

20. A razor comprising a handle, a blade holder, and means for vibrating a blade held by the blade holder, comprising an electro-magnetic coil, a ferrule on the handle depending within the coil and. enclosing the coil within the handle, a core for said coil extending into the ferrule and terminating within the magnetic field of the coil between the coil ends, a cap for said ferrule carrying said blade holder and a spring influenced armature carried by the cap having one end for engaging a blade carried by the blade holder and its opposite end extending into the ferrule and terminating in magnetically responsive relation to the core of the coil.

21. A vibratory razor, comprising a blade holder, an electro magnet and armature for vibrating a blade held by the blade holder, guides on the blade holder adapted to be admitted in openings on the blade and confining the blade against longitudinal movement while permitting it freedom of limited transverse movement in response to the vibratory movement of the armature; said blade being fashioned with offset tabs at its opposite ends projecting beyond the ends of the blade holder.

22. A razor, comprising a handle, a cap for the handle, said cap having a neck portion fashioned with opposed tongues on its end and a separately formed blade holder having openings to admit the opposed tongues, said tongues being pressed down 5 after being admitted through the openings in the blade holder to thereby secure the blade holder on the end of the neck portion.

23. -A razor, comprising a handle, a cap for the handle, said cap having a neck portion fashioned 10 with opposed tongues on its end and a separately formed blade holder having openings to admit the opposed tongues, said tongues being pressed down after being admitted through the openings in the blade holder to thereby secure the blade 15 holder on the end of the neck portion and a cover for the blade holder to enclose a blade carried thereby.

24. A vibratory razor, comprising a handle, a magnetic coil in the handle, a cap carried by the 20 handle, a spring suspended pendulum-like armature carried by the cap, a blade holder on the end ofthe cap, upstanding blade guiding flanges on the blade holder having undercut slots at the back thereof, a blade having end tabs adapted to 25 overreach the end of the blade holder and openings to admit said flanges when the blade is inserted in the slots in the flanges, and a guide cap carried by the blade holder having offset finger pieces on the ends thereof for enclosing the end tabs on the blade.

25. In an electric razor, a blade holder, an armature for vibrating a blade held by the blade holder, an electro magnet for oscillating the armature, said armature comprising a nonfiexible stem-like member and a spring device suspending the same for lateral vibrations.

26. In an electric razor, a shell-like handle portion, an electro-magnet, a core for said magnet occupying a hollow within the magnet and 40 means for enclosing the magnet within the handle, comprising a ferrule at one end of the handle and magnet assembly, said ferrule having a depending outer skirt embracing the side wall of the magnet and terminating between the magnet 45 and handle, a central portion on the ferrule providing a cover overlying the magnet and bearing against the end of the core of the magnet,

a shoulder on the opposite end of the core, a washer on the core seated against said shoulder and bearing against the end of the magnet, electric cord connections within the handle located between said washer and the end of the handle and means closing the end of the handle but admitting an electric cord for connection with said magnet through said cord connections.

SAUL SHALER. 

